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My Favorite Courses to Learn the Fundamentals of Photography from lynda.com

Photography is one of those professions that, from a distance can appear as an idealistic, fun and (dare I say) easy existence in terms of a career. Yet upon entering the world of paid photography, would-be pros find themselves immediately faced with a demand for an exceedingly high-level of image quality, and an even higher degree of understanding in terms of marketing and business practice if the hope is to succeed in acquiring a piece of the competitive market.

Fortunately, tools for applied learning are in place for creatives and businesses of all types to receive precisely the help needed on-demand, and at our own personal convenience, thanks to lynda.com.

Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. – Jim Rohn

From the fundamentals of photography, to creative inspiration, to successful business practice – the educational resources available at lynda.com are of the highest quality available and delivered by industry leaders and developers in their respective fields. These are not your standard tutorial videos, we’re talking serious creative power and confidence for the road ahead.

Below are a list of courses I found helpful along the way in my own journey that I hope will serve as useful to new and aspiring shooters just starting out. In this post, we’ll cover a few courses by San Francisco-based photographer, author and teacherBen Long, focusing on the fundamentals of exposure, understanding how and when to use certain lenses, and consider the benefits of good composition. We’ll then turn our attention to mastering the digital darkroom with Adobe expert Chris Orwig for a shot of creative passion, and learn the post-processing techniques that can take our images to the next level.

Containing more than 30-hours of quality instruction in the six courses listed here alone, these are but a mere sample of the vast resources available at lynda.com, and recommended as an excellent place to start practicing and nailing down skills for individuals and businesses alike. If you’re new to the lynda.com libraries, be sure to head over to lynda.com/ Photofocus, avail yourselves of the free 10-day trial and don’t look back. It’s time to relax, grab a coffee and enjoy learning in leaps and bounds.

Foundations of Photography

Click to view Ben Long’s full list of courses with lynda.com.

1. Foundations of Photography – Exposure

2. Foundations of Photography – Lenses

3. Foundations of Photography – Composition

Process Like a Pro

Click to view Chris Orwig’s full list of courses with lynda.com.

4. Photoshop CC for Photographers: Fundamentals

5. Photoshop CC for Photographers: Intermediate

6. Photoshop CC for Photographers: Camera Raw 8 Intermediate

If you’d like to delve deeper into a certain software application, explore a new field of study, or locate an immediate solution to a specific creative problem, the lynda.com search engine can serve as a powerful real-time asset in the creative cause. No annual commitment is required for membership, and subscribers always have the freedom to opt-in or out of the service at any time on a per-month basis.

Dollar for dollar, joining lynda.com is the single best investment I personally could have made in my own education and business. As the tools of photography continually change with the times, lynda.com is there to ensure we’re sufficiently inspired and always close to the cutting edge.

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Mark Morrow is an active Virginia-based photographer with specialties in a wide variety of domestic and commercial projects. Always an avid student of the craft, Mark enjoys sharing insight and inspiration with enthusiasts and aspiring pros on his blog, podcast and as a contributor here at Photofocus.

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Regardless of the type of photography you focus on, Photofocus is here as a helpful and educational resource for the aspiring and professional photographer. Our goal is to assist in your success as an artist.